Govindachamy's jailbreak leaves Prisons Dept in a tight spot

KANNUR: The Prisons Department is facing severe embarrassment after hardened criminal Govindachamy managed to escape from a high-security cell and was later found hiding in a well nearly four kilometres away. Although the police managed to capture Govindachamy within three and a half hours, jail authorities remain unable to explain how he pulled off such a daring escape using only one functional hand. Range DIG Yathish Chandra has been assigned to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the jailbreak, and four prison officers have been suspended for security lapses. Govindachamy was produced in court and remanded to custody for 14 days. The incident, which unfolded in the early hours of Friday, has exposed major lapses in prison security and raised several unanswered questions about how the escape was possible.

Govindachamy, who was convicted of assaulting and murdering a young woman by pushing her off a train, was discovered missing from his cell around 4:15 a.m. However, prison officials reportedly informed the police only two hours later, delaying the search operation.

By the time police launched a full-scale manhunt, news of the escape had already spread through the media. A three-and-a-half-hour search ensued, ultimately ending when local residents spotted Govindachamy hiding in a deserted compound’s well in Thalappu, four kilometres from the prison. Police later pulled him out with the help of ropes and took him into custody.

Investigations suggest that Govindachamy sawed through the iron bars of his cell, tied torn prison blankets together to make a rope, and scaled the 7.5-meter-high prison wall to freedom. Authorities believe he acted alone, despite missing his left hand below the elbow. This claim has fueled widespread scepticism, with many questioning whether he received inside help.

Prisoners housed near him reportedly heard nothing during the night, citing heavy rainfall as the reason. The Supreme Court, while hearing Govindachamy’s appeal against the death sentence handed down by the High Court, had commuted the punishment to life imprisonment until death, citing insufficient evidence for capital punishment.

After being pulled out of the well in Thalappu, the accused was questioned at the Kannur Crime Branch office and subjected to a medical examination. Following evidence collection at the Central Jail later in the afternoon, he was produced before the Kannur First Class Judicial Magistrate at 5 p.m. and subsequently remanded to the Kannur Central Jail.

On foot, disguised with a head load

Govindachamy, who escaped from prison, disguised the absence of his left hand by placing a sack over his head and tucking his arm inside it as he walked toward Kannur city. What followed was this sequence of events:

• After walking nearly four kilometres, he reached the area near the Thalappu Post Office.
• At around 9:30 a.m., private company employee Vinoj grew suspicious and approached Govindachamy along with auto driver Madhu. As soon as they identified him and called out his name, Govindachamy leapt over a wall and fled.
• Vinoj informed the police. A police dog tracked him to an abandoned building covered with dense vegetation.
• 10:40 a.m.: Govindachamy entered the building, climbed onto the roof, and then leapt into a nearby well. M. Unnikrishnan, an employee of the Statistics Office, heard the sound and spotted him. His shout alerted locals and police, who soon arrived and pulled the accused out using a rope.

Shortage of staff

Kannur Central Jail has a sanctioned capacity for 948 inmates. However, there are currently 1,113 prisoners, and authorities have long raised concerns about the lack of adequate staff to manage them.

Inmates in block ten

Block Ten houses prisoners who have previously escaped or attempted to escape, those convicted in drug-related cases, and those sentenced to death.

The escape has also raised tough questions:

1. How was the month-long sawing of iron bars unnoticed?
2. Why were weight-loss attempts by the inmate not detected?
3. How did he remain undetected inside the prison premises for hours after leaving his cell?
4. Why was the electric fencing inactive?